Burrell's big hit in ninth lifts Phillies past Rockies

DENVER (Ticker) - Pat Burrell had the final word in a
back-and-forth battle between the Colorado Rockies and
Philadelphia Phillies, connecting for a three-run double off
closer Manny Corpas in the ninth inning.

The teams combined for 11 extra-base hits, including three home
runs, and Burrell's late swing turned the game in favor of the
Phillies, 8-6, Tuesday night at Coors Field.

Batting with one out and the bases loaded, Burrell headed to the
plate after Colorado issued an intentional walk to Ryan Howard.
Burrell took advantage.

"In that situation with a sinker ball pitcher, I was trying to
hit something I could elevate," Burrell said. "A groundball is
not good. Probably would have ended up being a double play,"

It ended up a game-winner instead.

"I got confidence in Burrell, man," Philadelphia manager Charlie
Manuel said. "I've had him going on my fourth year and stuck
with him through thick and thin. I've always been one of
Burrell's biggest boosters. He can hit, and hit in the clutch
too."

Both starters, Brett Myers for Philadelphia and Jeff Francis for
the Rockies, pitched deep into the game and watched as leads
came and went. But the Rockies' bullpen faltered for the
third-straight game.

Philadelphia (11-10) took an early lead when hot-hitting Chase
Utley jumped on a Francis fastball for a two-run double to the
wall in left-center field. Though Utley would have a role in the
go-ahead runs, his streak of home runs in consecutive games
ended at five.

Colorado (9-11) tied the score, 3-3, in the fourth inning. Brad
Hawpe opened the inning with his first triple of the season and
was brought home on an infield single from Jeff Baker. Francis
kept the inning alive with a sacrifice bunt, and Willy Taveras
took advantage with a double to score Baker.

The Rockies took the lead in the fifth off a solo home run by
Matt Holliday, but it wouldn't last.

Francis struggled with his control at points, walking the
pitcher Myers before walking in a run in the fourth inning.

"The walks were a little problematic," Colorado manager Clint
Hurdle said. "We're getting in our own way way too often. We are
all aware of that. We are not playing the kind of baseball we
need to, across the board, clean enough."

Francis was accurate in the seventh, however, but too much so as
he delivered a fat fastball right over the plate that Jayson
Werth sent out of the park, tying the score 4-4.

Myers worked his way through seven innings, as did Francis, but
he walked Holliday with one out in the seventh before giving up
a home run to Garrett Atkins on his 100th pitch of the game.
Myers gave up all six Colorado runs on 11 hits.

Once again, it was Colorado's bullpen that let a win slip away.
Matt Herges pitched the eighth inning and gave up a run but not
the lead. He left that for Corpas (0-1), who gave up a lead-off
single to So Taguchi and another single to Utley before
Burrell's big swing.

In a scene straight out of the movie "Major League," Howard
nearly lapped Utley on the way to home.

NLAT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATESOLO HOME RUN BY JAYSON WERTH (3) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN THE 7TH OFF JEFF FRANCIS.CURRENT SCORE: PHILADELPHIA 4, COLORADO 4DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: C UTLEY (.354, 1-FOR-3, 2 RBI)